Help!! Have tried to air layer an extremely long limbed ponytail palm with seven tall babies at the end. This limb is at an angle and the weight will break it. I used an expensive rooting liquid in wet sphagnum moss for 6 months-no roots. Any suggestions to root the end or the branch. Thank you! Thank you! Rocky Hard
Propagation of Beaucarnea is most often (and successfully) achieved through removal of offsets or by planting seeds. I have heard of folks being successful with air-layering, but I think it is more the rare exception than the rule. Branch cuttings are only slightly more successful, again with a relatively small success rate. Branch cuttings are best done during the fall or early winter. I would recommend a 50/50 mix of seedling mix and perlite. Dip the cut end in rooting hormone. Plant and support the cutting as needed. Keep the soil mix slightly moist, not wet. Set it in a shady, warm, and protected location where it can obtain some air circulation, but avoiding strong, drying winds. The link below may help. http://www.learn2grow.com/PlantData...?plantID=4c357f1e-307d-4b45-800f-5363b7c5b821
Rooting a cutting would be easier, but the trick is not rotting it before it roots. Make the cut, remove most of the foliage, let it dry for a week or so(one week drying time per inch diameter of stem). Then seal callus with bees wax, place in pure pumice in a deep pot. Water once and leave it be till you see new growth, then you can water sparingly.
